I've been a student at Ichen Art Academy for over 4 years now, and needless to say, I've grown a…read morelot within my passion because of the instruction I received at this school. I came in with a love for art, but little knowledge in the technical aspects. Through Ichen's summer programs, I got to explore many different media including charcoal, oil painting, and digital. The academy's instructors are very well educated in the arts and provide a plethora of resources and materials to help me succeed. They provided guidance in composition, technique, color, etc. while motivating me to enter my art into competitions... ultimately which I won a few! Ryan, Ichen Art Academy's Artist in Residence, has provided me with fantastic support over the years. I got a perfect balance of instruction and freedom to allow for the full expression of my artistry. I never felt bored or unmotivated because the instructors constantly provide me with ideas and recommendations when I'm stuck. My AP and college application portfolios both contributed largely to my successful MIT and Harvard application processes, and I am forever indebted to my time at Ichen for this accomplishment.

Really good art school. All teachers are professional, knowledgable and nice. They are…read moreexperienced and tenured in their teaching, and have enough knowledge to know how to work with your child(ren) and help them improve. A nice clean facility also promotes learning. Additionally, I really appreciate how they are willing to work with you on your schedule --- and to accommodate make up classes as necessary. Highly Recommended!

Our son has had a bad experience here.  He says that he gets a piece of paper to work off of, and…read morethe coaches come by every once in awhile and ask if it is ok, and that is about the extent of the coaching.  He has had problems with parts missing from his project as other students take things out of his bin when they can't find something.  They are usually the high demand parts, so he has a really tough time replacing them.  When he asks the coaches, they tell him to go look for the part, and he spends a good portion of the time looking for parts as they don't provide it for him.   He says when he has a question, several other smaller kids interrupt, and the coach's attention gets scattered, and they don't answer his question ultimately.   So, all in all, he is not able to make much progress week to week.  I was shocked, as the per lesson cost of this program is almost the price of private music or tennis instruction, that he would get so little attention and help.  Something so simple as the low availability of parts is something that could be managed, and there should be enough coaches to answer the kids' questions. I had asked about the competition path last summer and was told our son had to learn the basics for about a year first. When we said we would like to cancel, all of a sudden, this competition "class" was an option. I suspect that this basically operates like a daycare with legos for most, and all the actual coaching gets saved for the few kids in competition.

My favorite website for all the Dublin News!!! It is on Facebook, too!!read more

My daughter has been coming here for several months here. This is a very clean and modern looking…read moregym. The owners, Kina and Brian are clearly very passionate about gymnastics. My daughter started with Core 1 with Coach Kina who she adores. She has been such a great role model for her. I like that the classes are organized and structured. But most importantly, Ms. Kina really takes the time to get to know each student and really looks at each student individually to see what they need to work on and how to challenge them. These are group classes, but you get a lot of one on one attention. My daughter is now starting Core 2 with Coach Brian and he is also great at explaining things clearly and presenting new challenges in a way that is not too overwhelming. This is also a very family friendly venue. It is very open so a lot of parents sit and watch (almost feels like a modern coffee shop). It's nice to have the option to be able to watch the entire class from beginning to end. Bottom line, if our daughter comes out smiling every time and got great exercise, then mommy and daddy are all smiles as well! Thank you Kina and Brian!

It's very crowded!! There's at least 4 classes rotating through at the same time. The instructors…read morearen't able to really teach because there are so many kids at one time nor are they able to spot the younger ones during difficult new techniques. Also, the instructors ALWAYS look unhappy and have a sullen attitude. They don't make any effort to discipline misbehaving students either. They do the bare minimum with a very grumpy look apparent on their faces. They're nice over email and scheduling but it's way too crazy and crowded. The coaches attitudes don't help either. Lots of other places for the same price with a more positive, professional and supportive staff that smile!

Our six year old son has been enrolled in Marc's group basketball class for several months. He was…read morethe youngest child in the class and, in the beginning, he was a bit discouraged. Given his small stature, he found it difficult to put the ball into a 10 foot basket. However, Marc provided endless encouragement and motivation. One fine day, he finally put the ball in the basket! Not prepared to rest on his laurels, our son proceeded to come home and practice shooting hoops for two hour straight. He was able to get a total of 54 baskets! Not only does he love basketball and practice quite a bit, but he has come to love watching the NBA on TV having a greater appreciation of these amazing athletes. I have to say that I had my doubts in the beginning, but I'm glad I kept the faith because it paid off. I could not recommend Marc more highly.

Marc definitely knows what he is doing. As his student for over 4 months I learned a lot from his…read moreVolleyball instruction. As a professional teacher he would initially evaluate your knowledge of volleyball and note the areas that each individual needs to work on. Then he would start from working on the basic techniques one needs to develop and improve, and finally put those together. So, even if you think you know how to play Volleyball, you can still learn that you can do even more and possibly realize that you don't know how to play when having Marc as a rival in one of the training matches. My personal experience shows that I have improved my competitive team play over the last 4 months from a total beginner to one of the most formidable players in the corporate league there is. So if you think that team play is in the future of you or your kids, you should most certainly try Marc's instructions and insights. -George

Cant really say enough good about this camp. after several summer of different themed camps and…read morenever really finding one that my son enjoyed or made any friends. I found Adventure Kids at last minute after he refused to finish a session at another camp. They made room for him and after the first morning I texted and asked how he was doing. he had already been accepted into a group and was climbing rocks and exploring wind caves on Mount Diablo. he came home energetic and wanting to share his day and his friends he made . That was 3 summers ago and he has spent every week of his summers since at Adventure Kids. he's one of the seasoned pros now at camp and will be an unofficial junior counselor. he will be aging out of camps after this summer and bittersweet to move on but the memories , friends and growth as a young man he has experienced have been invaluable . Thanks Adventure Kids

Before registering for this camp do your homework. This is at least the 6th camp name Chris M. or…read moreBob the owner has changed the camp to over the past 10 years. Ask why? Search in YELP for Bay Area Adventure Camp, California Adventure Camp, East Bay Summer Camps East Bay Sports Summer adventure day camp. Here are some questions I would ask Why are you using stock photos on your website? Why is there no mention of ownership or an "about us" page They mention transportation in buses and vans. Who is driving and what license do they have to legally drive these vehicles. Summer camps really don't have a lot of oversight regarding standards and accountability. It's up to us parents to research and make sure the people supervising our children are competent, trustworthy, and ALWAYS put the their safety first.

So excited to find Mad Science did Birthday Parties! I sent my son there 20+ years ago for…read moreafterschool daycare and now my granddaughter will get to join in the fun for her 8th birthday party! Booking, paying, extra experiments all goes well! It's the night before the party and Cosmic Chris texts me at 10pm to go over details??? WHAT?!?! I'm in bed after 3 long days of cleaning and prepping for said party!! The texts got pretty ugly with Cosmic Chris dictating to me what time he'd be AT MY HOME instead of what time I paid him to show up. I'm beyond furious and now don't know if this company will even show up, what type of attitude I'll have to deal with or how my granddaughter will be treated. I've already reached out to the lady I booked with...so hoping this won't be an issue...but I'm just flabbergasted at how this even got here with Cosmic Chris!!!

We recently booked Mad Science Bay Area for my son's 7th birthday, and it was a fantastic…read moreexperience from start to finish. The booking process was seamless, I filled out the online form and had a confirmation within 1-2 days. Our Mad Scientist, Jordan (Plazma Petey), contacted me the day before to nail down the final logistics, which really put my mind at ease. On the day of the party, he arrived 30 minutes early to set up and was ready to go right on time. I have never seen a group of 1st grade boys so captivated! Jordan was high energy, charismatic, and had them laughing, shouting out answers, and asking great questions the entire time. Even the parents were leaning in and enjoying the show. To top it off, the kids got to make magic dough to take home. I had so many parents ask where I found them because they were so impressed. Highly recommend Mad Science and specifically Jordan!

I'm deeply touched and would like to share my journey with YangFan. We moved to Dublin in 2017 and…read moreenrolled with YangFan right away. At the time, my daughter was in first grade and my son was just starting preschool. We had a wonderful experience there. Today, I especially want to share something meaningful. When COVID hit, I brought my children home in 2021, and we have not returned to YangFan since then because I have been working from home and have been able to care for them myself. We still had a couple thousand dollars remaining in our account. Recently, I thought of YangFan again, and I was amazed to learn that YangFan still allowed me to use those funds after six years. That was truly wonderful and far beyond my expectations. Thank you so much, YangFan

We toured the facility and nearly enrolled our son in their afterschool program. This review,…read morehowever, is truly about Dominic. He is the heart of the operation--bringing in families, keeping everything organized, and somehow managing countless texts, communications, and every child's details with ease. It's impressive how seamlessly he runs things for the entire school. If you're considering joining YF, it should be because of Dominic. He is trustworthy, attentive, and makes sure every child has a safe and welcoming space from onboarding through learning.

Our 6 and 8 year old have attended this camp 2 years in a row now, and on the last day, my older…read moreone told Ms Sandra (without prompting), we're definitely signing up next year! Ms Sandra and her team put together an incredible, thoughtful, and fun curriculum. The staff genuinely loves engaging each kid and it's clear this is a labor of love for the whole team, down to the wonderfully crafted binder that goes home with each child at the end of the week, complete with pictures, worksheets, and art projects. What a gem to have in Castro Valley!

Our child had such an incredible experience at Sandra and team's STEM camp that we're already…read morelooking forward to next year. Every day's variety of activities kept my child engaged and looking forward to hanging with new friends. I felt comforted knowing my kiddo looked forward to the experience every day. We actually did two out of the two weeks they offer and plan on doing that again!

If you are looking for a camp for your kids to be active and happy, this is the one for you!…read moreMy 6 year old is full of energy and this camp really is great with fun packed activities to keep the kiddos entertained and engaged. A big thanks to everyone on the team for their amazing work. My kid is way more confident and happier to try out new sports. 10/10 recommend!

My 6-year old son had a great time at the all sports and soccer camps. Unfortunately, there were…read moreonly two kids signed up for flag football, but he still enjoyed his time. The coaches were friendly, welcoming and encouraging.

Words cannot describe how amazing Julie is as a riding instructor. Her teaching style is tailored…read moreto each rider; there's no set deadline or timing. That's what I loved most about her program-- she truly personalizes her lessons to fit your progress. One of her best skills is that she is acutely in tune with your form, comfort level, and confidence. She is so good at understanding how the human body interacts with the horse so when you're learning the fundamentals, you're learning it from an almost anatomical perspective. I originally started out at a different equestrian center but the instructor there made me feel anxious and unsure every time. I carried a lot of that over to Julie's lessons where I had to unlearn a lot of bad habits. In my almost year of riding under her guidance, I've learned proper techniques and gained back my confidence. Julie has the innate ability to make you feel safe and secure when riding. I love that she teaches to build confidence so you can master the technical skills. If you are ever thinking about horseback riding but scared to try it, get a lesson with Julie. An instructor like her is one of a kind.

I've been a client of Julie's for over 7 years and would recommend it to anyone! Julie teaches her…read moreriders in a safe and effective way while customizing each lesson to you and your horse. She is more then willing to help with special needs and lives on the property, so your horses are never out of her care. I have a crazy schedule and she is always able to fit my lessons in - even if they're at 8pm. Not to mention Creek Hill is a drama free, fun barn - something that is hard to find in the equestrian world!! A true hidden gem!